Zaurbek Sidakov

Zaurbek Kazbekovhich Sidakov (Russian: Заурбек Казбекович Сидаков, Ossetian: Сидахъаты Хъазыбеджы фырт Заурбек; born 14 March 1996) is a Russian freestyle wrestler of Ossetian descent.[1][2][3] Senior World Champion 2018 & 2019. In 2016, Sidakov won his first senior-level title at the Golden Grand Prix of Ivan Yarygin; later that year, he also earned his first national title at 70kg.

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Kazbekovich and the family name is Sidakov.

Zaurbek Sidakov
Заурбек Сидаков

Sidakov in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Заурбек Казбекович Сидаков
Nickname(s)	Sidr
Nationality	Russian
Ethnicity	Ossetian
Born	14 March 1996 (1996-03-14) (age 24) Beslan, North Ossetia-Alania, Russia
Residence	Beslan, North Ossetia-Alania
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	70 kg (154.3 lb) 74 kg (163.1 lb)
Sport
Country	Russia
Sport	Wrestling
Rank	International Master of Sport in Freestyle Wrestling
Event(s)	Freestyle
Club	Alania Wrestling Club CSKA Wrestling Club
Coached by	T.B. Archegov, E.I. Dudaev, V.O. Pilev, M. Tedeev
Medal record Representing  Russia World Championships 2018 Budapest 74 kg 2019 Nur-Sultan 74 kg European Games 2019 Minsk 74kg World Cup 2019 Yakutsk 74 kg Russian National Championships 2016 Yakutsk 70 kg 2018 Odintsovo 74 kg Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2016 Krasnoyarsk 70 kg 2019 Krasnoyarsk 74 kg 2017 Krasnoyarsk 70 kg 2018 Krasnoyarsk 74 kg 2015 Krasnoyarsk 65 kg Alans 2017 Vladikavkaz 70 kg Military World Championships 2018 Moscow 74 kg Alrosa-European Nations Cup 2017 Moscow 70 kg U23 European Championships 2018 Istanbul 74 kg

Beslan Terrorist Attack

On 1 September 2004, the school Sidakov attended - School no.1 in Beslan - was overtaken by terrorists from a neighboring republic, which resulted in over 1,100 victims being held hostage and 334 victims murdered over a three-day period where they would be illegally held in the school's gym-hall without any food or water. Despite being only children at the time, they understood what was happening when being evacuated from school, said Sidakov and he had friends and training partners who were being held as hostages[4].

Wrestling Career

Sidakov has won a multitudinous number of medals throughout his career; he has won bronze, two silvers and two gold medals at the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix from 2015–19 – most recently, a gold at the Ivan Yarygin 2019. In 2016 he captured his first gold medal at the Grand Prix by defeating Russian National champion, Khusein Suyunchev[5][6]. Most recently in 2018, Zidakov entered at the quarter-final stage of the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix and wrestled Turkish wrestled Muhammet Demir and won by 13–2 technical fall, in the semi-final round; he faced fellow training partner and Ossetian, Khakhaber Khubezthy by 5–0, thus advancing to the final round. Sidakov faced another training partner of his, Khetag Tsabolov[7] and lost after giving up a last minute takedown, and lost by the score of 1–3, ultimately resulting in Sidakov taking the silver medal.

2018 Russian National Championships

Sidakov entered the 2018 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast in August of 2018. In the round of 16, he defeated Konstantin Korolyov of Krasnoyarsk by 14–1 technical fall; Sidakov went on to defeat Magomed Magomedov of Moscow by 9–0 in the round of 8. In the quarter-finals, Sidakov defeated Timur Bizhoev of Krasnodar by 3–1 and advanced to the semi-finals where he defeated Evgeny Lapishov of Tatarstan by 10–0 technical superiority, thus advancing Sidakov to the finals, where he would face former opponent and training partner, Khetag Tsabolov[8]. Sidakov ultimately got his revenge and the gold medal this time, as he won by 2–2 criteria scoring a takedown in the last 30 seconds[9][10][11].

2018 World Championships

Sidakov made his first appearance on the world stage when he entered the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In Sidakov's opening match, he faced and defeated Bulgaria's Miroslav Kirov by 10–0 technical-fall, and then defeated Franklin Gomez to advance to the quarter-finals. In the quarter-final, he beat NCAA champion, Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs 6–5, and Sidakov then beat Olympic Bronze medalist, and two-time European and World champion, Frank Chamizo by 3–2, advancing Sidakov to the final, opposite Georgia's Avtandil Kentchadze, a 2018 U23 European Championships Bronze Medalist – whom Sidakov defeated at the U23 Senior European Championships in the semi-final[12][13]. After a hard-fought match between Sidakov and Kentchadze, Sidakov won by the score of 2*-2; winning by criteria; the gold medal; first place on the podium and his first senior world title[14].

2019

In 2019, World Champion Sidakov returned to the annually held Ivan Yarygin tournament in Krasnoyarsk. Zaurbek stormed his way into the finals, where he wrestled against Yakup Gor of Turkey, whom he defeated 5–4 to capture the gold medal.[15]

In March, Sidakov was part of the Russian team at the Freestyle Wrestling World Cup held in Yakutsk. Sidakov, who was part of the first team, faced four-time World Championships medalist, Geandry Garzon of Cuba, whom Sidakov quickly dispatched by fall as a result of a well-timed cradle from a defended single leg. In Sidakov's second match, he wrestled Iranian Reza Afzali, whom Sidakov defeated by 6–0. Russia would then go on to win the World Cup with a score of 9–1 against Iran.

European Games

Sidakov was then placed on the Russian squad to wrestle at the 2019 European Games held in the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Entering into the tournament, Sidakov first met rival Avtandil Kentchadze of Georgia, who he defeated by the score of 5–3.[16] In the semi-finals, Sidakov faced Azamat Nurykau and defeated him by a score of 6–4.[17] In the final, Sidakov wrestled with three-time European Champion and World medalist, Soner Demirtas of Turkey. After a minute of hand-fighting, Sidakov would shoot a single-leg causing Demirtas to sprawl out, after turning away, Sidakov would lock in a cradle and would go on to pin Demirtas, declaring Sidakov the victory by fall, giving Sidakov the gold medal at the European Games.

World Championships

At the 2019 World Championships, Sidakov first defeated Mexican representative, Victor Hernandez, by a technical fall, 10-0. He went on defeating Kamil Rybycki 8-0 and Mao Okui, Japanese Academic World medalist, in the quarter-finals by a score of 6-0. In the semi-finals, Sidakov faced four-time World Champion and former Olympic Champion, Jordan Burroughs – a rematch of the 2018 World Wrestling Championships quarter-finals – and won in the same fashion as he did in 2018, by a last-second step-out to score 4-3. In 2019, Sidakov once again defeated Burroughs with a last-second step-out and after a failed challenge for a score of 4-3.[18]

In what would be a rematch of the 2018 World Championships semi-finals, Sidakov faced two-time World Champion, Frank Chamizo, in the final. Sidakov used his tie-ups and hand-fighting to control most of the match, leaving Chamizo without any scoring chances; Chamizo was put on the shot-clock giving Sidakov a one-point lead for passivity at the half-way point. In the second period, Chamizo found a way to a single leg takedown and finish it for two-points to lead by a score of 2-1. After being down, Sidakov almost immediately began applying more pressure and managed to get a takedown of his own around 20 seconds later; leading 3-2, in the last twenty seconds, he would land another brief two-point takedown and defended his world title by a score of 5-2, ultimately resulting in Sidakov become a two-time Wrestling World Champion[19]. Following his victory at the World Championships, Sidakov dedicated his victory to all those deceased as a result of the 2004 Beslan terrorist school attack[20].

References

1. Dzilihova, K.M.; Dzgoeva, Z.G.; Kaloeva, Z.D.; Dzgoeva, M.G.; Sozaeva, Z.Yu.; Karyaeva, S.K.; Chikhtisova, R.A. (10 April 2019). "Comprehensive Assessment of the Health Status of Young Children Born by Mothers with Primary Arterial Hypotension". Pediatria. Journal Named After G.N. Speransky. 98 (2): 286–287. doi:10.24110/0031-403x-2019-98-2-286-287. ISSN 0031-403X.
2. "Борцы из Осетии внесли вклад в победу на Кубке европейских наций". Рамблер/спорт (in Russian). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
3. "СИДАКОВ Заурбек Казбекович | Российские спортсмены и специалисты | Спортивная Россия". infosport.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
4. "Борец из Беслана поделился воспоминаниями о трагедии". NEWS.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 28 October 2019.
5. "Заурбек Сидаков: после взвешивания пришёл в номер, лег и подумал, что можно здесь выиграть — Федерация спортивной борьбы России". wrestrus.ru. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
6. "Спорт на Урале – Сидаков Заурбек Казбекович". sportufo.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
7. "Борцы-вольники Садулаев и Цаболов победили на Гран-при "Иван Ярыгин"". Рамблер/спорт (in Russian). Retrieved 13 August 2018.
8. "Заурбек Сидаков, Хетик Цаболов, Артур Найфонов и Владислав Байцаев – в финале ЧР по вольной борьбе". Россия Алания (in Russian). Retrieved 13 August 2018.
9. "Чемпионат России прошёл под диктовку вольников СКФО". Рамблер/спорт (in Russian). Retrieved 13 August 2018.
10. "Садулаев победил на ЧР по вольной борьбе в Одинцово, Цаболов проиграл в финале". Рамблер/спорт (in Russian). Retrieved 13 August 2018.
11. "Заурбек Сидаков стал чемпионом России по вольной борьбе | 15-Й РЕГИОН". 15-Й РЕГИОН (in Russian). 4 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
12. "Russia Claims U23 Euro C'ship Team Title on the Back of Six Freestyle Golds | United World Wrestling". unitedworldwrestling.org. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
13. "Sidakov Stuns Burroughs and Chamizo; Deng Notches One for China". unitedworldwrestling.org (in Russian). Retrieved 19 October 2018.
14. "Sidakov Caps Magnificent Run with Gold, Petriashvili Repeats | United World Wrestling". unitedworldwrestling.org. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
15. Eric. "Russia Crowns Quartet of Freestyle Champions on Day Four, Sweeps Ivan Yariguin". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
16. Andrew. "Sidakov Tops Kentchadze at European Games, Two World No.1's Lose". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
17. Andrew. "Russia Advances 3 to European Games Finals, World Champ Uguev Falls". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
18. Eric. "Tynybekova Grabs Historic Gold for Kyrgyzstan at Women's 62kg; Russia Rakes in 2 Freestyle Titles". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
19. Eric. "Sidakov Completes Dream Run to 2nd Straight 74kg Title; Petriashvili 3-peats at 125kg". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
20. "Борец Сидаков посвятил победу на чемпионате мира памяти жертв Беслана". ТАСС. Retrieved 28 October 2019.